Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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How to grow Dragon Fruit. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🐉 How to grow Dragon Fruit

  • 🌵 Selenicereus megalanthus - Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit Palora, is the best tasting Dragon Fruit in the world that is not only sweet, it has a great flavor (unlike most pitayas that are pretty watery).

  • 🌵This particular species of Dragon fruit doesn't mind regular water and rains but is also drought-tolerant. Watch a short video how to grow it:

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📚 Learn more:

🛒Grow your own Tasty Dragon Fruits

#Food_Forest #How_to #Dragon_Fruit

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Mandevilla or Dipladenia? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Mandevilla and Dipladenia

❤️ Mandevilla or Dipladenia?

❓Q: What is the correct name – Mandevilla or Dipladenia? I see both names in garden centers, and they come in many colors. What color is Dipladenia and what is Mandevilla?

‼️ A: Both names are correct, and you’ll often see them used interchangeably - but they aren’t exactly the same. Mandevilla and Dipladenia are closely related, and with so many hybrids, the lines between them can blur.

🌺 Difference Between Mandevilla and Dipladenia
  • 💋Mandevilla is a vigorous woody vine with large, stiff leaves. It’s ideal for vertical spaces like trellises and fences.
  • 💋Dipladenia is a bushier, more compact plant with smaller, smoother leaves. While it can be trained on a trellis, it’s better suited for hanging baskets, pots, or as a specimen plant.
  • 💋Both Mandevilla and Dipladenia come in a variety of colors - white, pink, red, and even yellow so color is not what distinguishes them. It's the growth habit and leaf type that set them apart.


📚 Learn more:

🛒 Explore Mandevilla-Dipladenia colors: collect them all!

#How_to #Container_Garden #Hedges_with_benefits
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Watch the biggest Vanilla Orchid in the world moving to 100 gal pot! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

🏆 Watch the biggest Vanilla Orchid in the world moving to 100 gal pot!

Vanilla dillioniana - The Biggest Vanilla Orchid grown in 100 Gal Pot! "Intelligent Design" by Robert Riefer.
Today we take a tour in Robert's garden, where he shows us the secret of growing the biggest vanilla orchid in the world. To find out how, watch this video filmed in 2017, and check out updates of this monster plant in the next post!
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🛒 Get your own super rare Leafless Vanilla dilloniana - propagated from this exact historical plant!

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders #How_to

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How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat is growing cold-hardy avocados

Cat is growing cold-hardy avocados

How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they?

Growing avocados in colder regions is possible with the right variety and care. By selecting Cold Hardy varieties, ensuring proper care, and taking protective steps during cold spells, you can successfully grow avocados outside of tropical climates.

The more established your tree, the better it will tolerate colder weather.

🌡 What is Avocado cold hardiness?

Avocados are sensitive to freezing temperatures but some Mexican varieties are cold-hardy, surviving temperatures as low as 15F once established. With proper care, some can endure brief cold snaps down to 10F.
  • 👉 Cold hardiness depends on several factors, including:

  • 🟢 Duration of cold: How long the tree is exposed to freezing temperatures.
  • 🟢 Sun exposure: Trees with more sunlight tend to handle cold better.
  • 🟢 Wind protection: Wind can make cold weather more damaging.
  • 🟢 Tree health: Proper care, including fertilization, can improve cold tolerance.


❄️ How to protect avocados from cold

If you're growing avocados in a cooler climate, it's essential to protect them from harsh cold. Here are some tips:
  • 🟢 Bigger is Better: Larger, more established trees are generally more cold-tolerant than young ones.
  • 🟢 Wind Protection: Cold winds can be more damaging than the temperature itself. Plant your avocado in a sheltered spot, such as on the south or southeast side of a building, where it’s protected from strong winds.
  • 🟢 Good Fertilization: A healthy tree is more likely to withstand cold. Make sure your avocado receives regular fertilization throughout the growing season to keep it strong.
  • 🟢 Watering: Avocados need regular watering, but during winter, they require much less water. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot in cold conditions.


✍️ Specific protection for young plants
  • 🟢 Covering and mulching: When a freeze is expected, mound mulch around the trunk to insulate the roots and cover the tree with a blanket for warmth. For extra protection, use Christmas lights or a small heater under the cover, following safety precautions.
  • 🟢 Microclimates matter: Plant your tree closer to a building for better cold protection. Placing it in the warmest part of your landscape will help it get more heat during winter.
  • 🟢 With proper care and protection, you can enjoy fresh avocados even in cooler climates!


🛒  Shop Cold Hardy Avocados

📚Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Avocado #How_to

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How to produce my own vanilla? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

💡 How to produce my own vanilla?

Secrets of Vanilla pollination finally revealed!
Vanilla is the World's most popular flavor and one of the most expensive spices and flavorings.
Every tropical gardener wants to have a vanilla plant and of course the most common question they ask - how to make my vanilla produce vanilla for me? In this video we will show you how:
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🛒 Shop Vanilla Bean Orchids

📚 Learn more:

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Food_Forest #How_to

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Easy Latin: unlocking plant names - why scientific names matter and how to decode them. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Cat with Latin names of plants

Cat with Latin names of plants

💻 Easy Latin: unlocking plant names - why scientific names matter and how to decode them
  • ✔️ Plants need scientific names (or Latin names) to keep things clear and avoid confusion. Common names can vary from place to place, and one name might refer to different plants.
  • ✔️ A scientific name is like a plant's social security number - it's unique and makes sure everyone knows exactly which plant you're talking about. For example, if you say "Trumpet tree," you could be talking about Brugmansia, Tabebuia, Oroxylum, or even Dolichandrone. With a scientific name, there's no guessing! It's the perfect plant ID to keep things simple and precise.
  • ✔️ So, if you're looking for a specific plant to add to your wishlist, be sure to find its scientific name first - that way, you'll be sure to get the right plant!


🛠 Examples of Latin names and their meanings:

🍋 Citrus sinensis – "Citrus" is the genus for citrus fruits, and "sinensis" means "from China," indicating the origin of the sweet orange.

🌸 Plumeria rubra – "Plumeria" is named after French botanist Charles Plumier, and "rubra" means "red," referring to its flower color.

🍁 Acer palmatum – "Acer" means "sharp," referring to the sharp-pointed leaves, and "palmatum" means "hand-shaped," referring to the leaf's shape.

By understanding the Latin names and their meanings, you can learn about a plant's origins, growth habits, and other key traits!

📚 Learn more:
Easy Latin name guide

#How_to

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Why we planted a whole field of this Dragon Fruit: how to get your own Dragon Fruit plantation. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Dragon fruit plantation

🌵🌵🌵 Why we planted a whole field of this Dragon Fruit: how to get your own Dragon Fruit plantation
  • 💛 Do you like Dragon Fruit? Our favorite variety is Parlora.
  • 💛 It's a yellow Pitaya cactus from Ecuador, and hands down the most flavorful dragon fruit out there. While most varieties are pretty but kind of bland, this one is sweet, juicy, and packed with flavor.
  • 💛 We love it so much at Top Tropicals, we planted a whole plantation! All it takes is a simple trellis – just a few posts and some chicken wire - and you can grow your own and enjoy this delicious fruit year-round.


📚 Learn more:

🛒Grow your own Tasty Dragon Fruits

#Food_Forest #How_to #Dragon_Fruit

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Which adenium is ever-blooming? Discover Flamingo Glow. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Adenium Flamingo Glow

Which adenium is ever-blooming? Discover Flamingo Glow
  • If you've visited our Top Tropicals Farm in Sebring, you've surely noticed our two beautiful ever-blooming Adeniums Flamingo Glow - the favorites that always draw admiration (and wishlists) from everyone! Our 2 Flamingo Glow mother plants we have in 7 gal pots are in bloom most of the time, almost year around, except for the Winter dormancy period.
  • We're excited to share some great news: these two stunning Flamingo Glow adeniums cross-pollinated and have produced seeds, and their offsprings are now already blooming! The well-sized 3 year old seedlings have inherited the same vibrant, glowing color as their parents, and we now have a few plants available for sale.
  • Desert Rose Flamingo Glow is a dazzling Top Tropicals hybrid (A. arabicum x A. obesum) that adds a splash of tropical elegance to any collection. Its soft pink blooms glow like a flamingo at sunset, gradually deepening from delicate blush to rich rose with darker splashes that illuminate the petals. Compact and easy to grow, this variety has a naturally dwarf habit and forms a beautifully rounded caudex, perfect for containers or bonsai-style displays. A living jewel that glows brighter with time!


📚 Learn more: #Adenium

🛒 Claim Your Flamingo Glow and discover more Adenium colors

#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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